IN PROGRESS...With Bilbo and Frodo now gone, and Sam settled in with a family, Pippin and Merry feel restless. Remebering their promise to Treebeard, and hearing the story Sam's cousin Hal tells, they decide on a jaunt to the North Farthing...with surpri

Author's note: Not really an update. This is the 'Ballad of the White Lady of
Rohan', and is my first (and last) attempt at poetry, balladry or lyricry (is
that a word?). After you read this
you'll see why. Anyway, I realized it
isn't up to JRRT standards, but here is the ballad that Pippin sings in the
'Hoom' the night that Diamond sneaks out.
Anyway, keep in mind that this story is written to be in canon with the
books, not the movies. My son says that
this ballad is horribly, paralyzingly long, but here it is for better or worse.

Down away in southern
lands,

Live a people proud
and stern,

Gold their hair and
clear their eyes,

And courage in them
brightly burns.

Golden halls rise
high on mount,

And fields green
surround their land,

On horses tall and
proud they go,

Brave are the Riders
of Rohan.

When darkness fell on
halls of men,

And Theoden King sent
out the call,

For duty and honor
would they ride,

For love of king
would give their all

A shield maid then
forth did come,

For sister-daughter
of the king,

Eowyn fair to war
would go,

And let her blade in
battle ring.

But Theoden would
have it not,

And laid upon brave
maid the task,

'See safe our people
to the hills,

Be queen and leader,
this I ask.'

Proud head bowed, and
shoulders dropped,

Fair Eowyn her charge
would keep,

Though heart and mind
with king did dwell,

And worried love did
make her weep.

Amid the Men of
Rohirrim,

A grave and slender
lad did ride,

Dernhelm, son of
unknown sire,

He kept to his
beloved king's side.

To Minas Tirith did
they go,

Hard the ride through
night and day,

But Dernhelm kept his
careful watch,

And hardship could
his zeal not stay.

Dark the day when
Rohan came,

To Minas Tirith
riding strong,

Theoden saw the chief
of Haradrim,

To hew their standard
did he long.

Through throng and
crowd, past spear and sword,

No blow could stop
the swift Snowmane,

And taking up his
battle spear,

By Theoden was the
chieftain slain.

But King of Mark
could not foresee,

When sun gave way to
darkened sky,

And horror from foul,
deep pit,

Descended on him from
on high.

Alone stood king on
battle field,

And faithful Snowmane
stood there too,

But evil Nazgul still
came on,

And mad fell horse as
darkness grew.

In terror Snowmane
sky attacked,

In panic did the
brave steed fall,

The king too soon was
then brought low,

His end no healer's
skill could stall.

Nazgul-lord and beast
of doom,

Did fallen king seek
to despoil,

But one stood there
to guard the King,

Dernhelm brave would
Nazgul foil.

'Away thou fool,'
said Nazgul-lord,

'Lest Death be not
thy destiny,

Come not between me
and my prey,

Or thou the Lidless
Eye shall see!'

'Hinder you I shall
and must,'

Cried slim Dernhelm,
grim and brave,

For kin of mine do
you see there,

And from your filth
will him I save!'

'Hinder me?' came
evil laugh,

'That task no living
man may do,'

Then stern and strong
came Dernhelm's voice,

'No living Man stands
before you!'

And lo, upon the
battle field,

Tall and fair, with
shining sword,

Eowyn, Lady of Rohan,

Stood proudly to
defend her lord.

Now Nazgul-lord at this
did pause,

But his beast did
still pursue,

And with one stroke,
both skilled and strong,

Eowyn the fell beast
slew.

From wreck of steed
did Nazgul-lord,

Rise up with sword in
evil rage,

And there upon the
Pelennor,

With Eowyn did then
engage.

While darkness grew
round watchers nigh,

Did Nazgul Eowyn's
shield smite,

Her shield-arm broke
and deathly cold,

Still flashed the
sword of Eowyn bright.

'Tween helm and
shoulder did she strike,

As darkness claimed
her from the light,

And Nazgul-lord at
last was slain,

And maiden slipped
from day to night.

For hard the journey
they must take,

Who dare to strike so
dark a foe,

So Eowyn slept as one
nigh death,

And from her face no
light did glow.

All who saw her did
despair,

Who in all the land
might call

To maiden in her
death-black sleep,

And wake her from the
evil thrall?

'Hands of healer,
hands of King,'

The wise among the
healers spake,

'Only him, the
rightful Lord

Can from this
darkness Eowyn wake.'

Then weary stranger,
travel stained,

Was brought into the
healing hall,

With skill and pity
did he toil,

And to him did he
Eowyn call.

And, lo! Awake came Eowyn,

But not to joy did
lady come,

Years of care and
dark despair,

Sealed her heart in
bitter tomb.

'Tarry here,' bid
Aragorn,

King of Gondor, yet
uncrowned,

'Thou hast earned thy
rest and ease.'

Yet hearing him, did
Eowyn frown.

'Are no saddles empty
now?

That I may ride and
follow thee?

Tis not death that I
do fear,

But a cage
surrounding me!'

East and north the
army rode

Grim and stern, tall
and proud

From healer's walls
did Eowyn watch

Her spirit wrap'd in
dismal shroud

Peaceful is the
healer's hall

In body inmates there
do mend

But in mind did Eowyn
ail

Contentment she could
not pretend

Steward of the city
heard

Of this fairest
maiden's plight

He, too, inmate of
the hall

Recovering from
Nazgul blight

To Eowyn's side the
Steward went

Though full of grief
and deepest pain

Faramir, son of
Denathor

From battle he too,
did remain

Pity filled him when
he saw

Pale maiden, stiff
and proud

Watching east where
all their hopes

Lay hidden by dark
war clouds

'Tell me, lady, how I
may

relieve this burden
that you bear?

Sad it makes me to
see you

Sorrow filled in cold
wind's glare'

Eowyn looked on
handsome face

But was unmoved by pity
there

'You may not my
darkness take,

while our fate hangs
by a hair

'From the leeches do
I seek

to be freed to follow
thence.

In the battle might I
find

Honor in my land's
defense'

'Honor have you found
in life.

Seek it not in
useless death.

We have both our
parts now played.

You have earned a
hero's rest'

Cold had been the
maiden's heart

But at the words of
Faramir

Did she feel a sudden
change

And warmth began to
grow in her

So they stood on
tower high

Watching always east
and north

Until on darkest
sunless morn

Changing wind did
news bring forth

From the east came on
high

Voice of noble eagle
crying,

'Sing now, all ye of
Anor

Sing for Sauron's
evil dying'

Golden were the days
that passed

While the city
readied all

To welcome King and valiant
host

To celebrate dark
Sauron's fall

But amid the joyous
throng

Eowyn began to ail

Healer to the Steward
went

Telling him of
maiden's tale

To her side did
Steward go

And there they walked
along the wall

Long they talked when
Faramir

Turned to Eowyn,
proud and tall

'Do you stay because
the king

Requested not that
you be near?

Or may I hope that
you remain

Because my duties
keep me here?

Suddenly did Eowyn

Her heart's desire
realize

But the words would
not come forth

And Faramir did
agonize

'Do you not love
me? Or will you not?'

Faramir asked Eowyn

Then Rohan's maiden
knew her heart

And gladly gave her
love to him

And now they live in
peace and love

In the fair Ithilien

Faramir, prince of
garden land

And his White Lady of
Rohan

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